Embassy Messages

Quick Facts

PASSPORT VALIDITY:

BLANK PASSPORT PAGES:

TOURIST VISA REQUIRED:

VACCINATIONS:

CURRENCY RESTRICTIONS FOR ENTRY:

CURRENCY RESTRICTIONS FOR EXIT:

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Embassies and Consulates

The Department of State warns U.S. citizens against all travel to Libya and recommends that U.S. citizens currently in Libya depart immediately.

The U.S. Embassy in Libya closed in July 2014. For emergency consular assistance, please contact a nearby U.S. Embassy or Consulate. For expedited adjudication of a Consular Report of Birth Abroad, or a Consular Report of Death Abroad, please apply at U.S. Embassy Tunis.

Inquiries regarding U.S. citizens in Libya may be directed to the Department of State’s Office of Overseas Citizens Services. Callers in the United States and Canada may dial the toll free number 1-888-407-4747. Callers outside the United States and Canada may dial 1-202-501-4444.

Visas for U.S. passport holders are not available at the port of entry. Do not use a tourist visa to enter Libya for business purposes, or you risk arrest.

Business Visas: Obtain an invitation from or sponsorship by a company operating in Libya. U.S. citizens who apply for Libyan business visas often experience significant delays, regularly waiting several weeks or months for their visas.

The Department of State advises U.S. citizens against all travel to Libya, as the security situation in Libya remains unpredictable and unstable. If in Libya, make contingency emergency plans and maintain situational awareness at all times.

Carry proof of citizenship and valid immigration status at all times.

Terrorist Threats:

Violent extremist activity in Libya remains high, and extremist groups may target U.S. government officials, citizens, and interests in Libya.

Fighting between armed groups and government forces occurs in Tripoli and other urban areas.

Avoid protests and demonstrations, as they can escalate into violence.

Militia:

Militia-controlled checkpoints are common, including in many parts of Tripoli.

Militia groups sometimes detain travelers for arbitrary or unclear reasons, without access to a lawyer or legal process. The Department of State has extremely limited capacity to assist U.S. citizens who are detained by militia groups.

Airports, seaports, and roads can close with little or no warning.

Maritime Security:

Violence against civilian commercial interests has escalated, creating serious safety concerns for maritime vessels and their crews. The Libyan National Army (LNA) announced on January 7, 2015, that all vessels in Libyan waters require LNA approval for transit.

U.S. mariners are advised to exercise extreme caution while transiting in or near Libyan territorial waters.

Vessels are advised to proceed with extreme caution when approaching all Libyan oil terminals and ports. Follow the recommendations in the U.S. Coast Guard’s Port Security Advisory 1-14 issued April 1, 2014.

Call us in Washington at 1-888-407-4747 toll-free in the United States and Canada or 1-202-501-4444 from other countries from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays).

Arrest Notification: If you are arrested or detained, ask for police or prison officials to notify the U.S. Embassy immediately. See our webpage for further information.

If you are detained, you may be detained indefinitely with no rights to a trial or access to an attorney. The Department of State may not be notified of your detention, and Department of State officials cannot visit detainees due to security reasons. Since most law enforcement is currently performed by militias, there is no clear legal process to be navigated. During your detention, you may not be provided with basic toiletries or appropriate nutrition.

SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES

Currency:

Libya's economy operates on a “cash-only" basis for almost all transactions.

Some hotels, restaurants, and major airlines accept credit cards (Visa is accepted more often than MasterCard).

Consult your banking institution prior to travel to ensure that transactions from Libya can be accepted.

ATM availability and functionality are sporadic and banks often operate at erratic hours. Even when banks are open, they often lack local and foreign currency.

Penalties for use of unauthorized currency dealers are severe.

A number of Libyan entities have assets frozen by economic sanctions. For further information, please contact the Office of Foreign Assets Control at the Treasury Department.

Dual Nationality:

U.S. citizens of Libyan origin may also be subject to laws that impose special obligations on Libyan citizens.

The Government of Libya considers all children born to Libyan fathers to be Libyan citizens, even if they were not issued a Libyan birth certificate or a Libyan passport.

Dual Libyan-American nationals may not enter or leave Libya on their U.S. passports and must obtain a Libyan travel document before traveling to Libya.

Persons with dual nationality who travel to Libya on their Libyan passports are normally treated as Libyan citizens by the local government.

The U.S. Department of State’s ability to provide U.S. consular assistance to those traveling on Libyan passports is extremely limited.

Travelers Who Require Accessibility Assistance: Few public facilities have adequate access for persons with physical disabilities.

Health

While some health care providers have been trained in the United States or Europe, basic modern medical care and/or medicines may not be available in Libya. Many Libyan citizens prefer to be treated outside Libya for serious medical conditions.

We do not pay medical bills. Be aware that U.S. Medicare does not apply overseas.

If traveling with prescription medication, check with the Libyan Embassy in Washington, D.C. to ensure the medication is legal in Libya. Always carry your prescription medication in original packaging with your doctor’s prescription.

Travel & Transportation

ROAD CONDITIONS: U.S. citizens may encounter road conditions in Libya that differ significantly from those in the United States.

Driving in Libya:

Traffic laws are rarely enforced, and there is a high accident rate.

Wind-blown sand can reduce visibility without warning. During the periodic rainstorms, roads will flood.

Road conditions are poor, and public transportation is limited.

Taxis are available, but many taxi drivers are reckless and untrained. English-speaking drivers are extremely rare.

Paved roads in rural areas are satisfactory; however, many rural roads are unpaved.

Roadside assistance is extremely limited and offered only in Arabic.

Very few streets are marked or have signage, and highway signs are normally available only in Arabic.

Most international airports are closed in Libya, and flights out of operational airports are sporadic and may be cancelled without warning. The United States is very concerned about the targeting of commercial transportation in Libya. The U.S. government prohibits U.S. commercial aviation operations within Libyan airspace.

As there is no direct commercial air service to the United States by carriers registered in Libya, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has not assessed the government of Libya’s Civil Aviation Authority for compliance with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) aviation safety standards. Further information may be found on the FAA’s safety assessment page.

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